Potassium in Potatoes

Young golden potatoes for sale at a farmers market.
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Although potatoes have gotten a bad reputation from followers of low-carbohydrate diets, these vegetables are very nutritious. Potatoes provide many essential nutrients, including vitamin B-6, vitamin C, folate, niacin, iron, manganese, magnesium, phosphorus and potassium. You need potassium for nerve and muscle function. Potassium also increases the amount of sodium your body excretes, limiting the potential blood-pressure-raising effects of consuming too much sodium.

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Potassium Content Comparisons

A baked medium russet potato contains 951.5 milligrams of potassium, which is 27 percent of the daily value, or DV. Other potatoes contain a similar amount of potassium. For example, a baked medium red-skinned potato has 942.9 milligrams of potassium. Sweet potatoes are a little lower in potassium, with a comparably sized sweet potato providing 855 milligrams of potassium, or about 24 percent of the DV. All of these potatoes have more potassium than a medium banana, which has 400 milligrams, or a medium stalk of broccoli, which has 520 milligrams of potassium.

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